


The Night Shift

by Sheillia_Creas



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Developing Friendships, F/M, Fantasy, Gen, Interspecies Relationship(s), Monsters, Oneshot, Selkies, Swan Maiden
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 18:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17329904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheillia_Creas/pseuds/Sheillia_Creas
Summary: A cursed swan maiden forms an unlikely friendship with a young selkie, who aids her in her quest to break the curse and return to her normal life as a human. (This is going to be a one-shot, short story that I'll be working on outside of the Under the Moonlight series so chapter posting will be a bit more sporadic.)





	The Night Shift

It’s a quiet evening as the sun sets along a forested seaside. A pack of seals lay resting on the beach, some playing, some sleeping, others not quite seals at all. One in particular seemed content being all alone among the privacy of large boulders.

It stared out onto the sunset at sea as if admiring the view whist cuddled into the sand. It turns its head however at the sound of wings flapping overhead. A large swan landing on the rock next to it.

The seal tilts his head at the creature, but doesn’t seem to be bothered by it; that is until the swan speaks.

“Come on, hurry up already!” It says looking out to the setting sun. The voice of a woman, so clear and concise.

The seal looks at her oddly, cooing with intrigue.

The swan looks down suddenly, as if not noticing it before. “Oh, well…least I’m not alone tonight. Sort of.” She looks back at the sunset. “Geez, this is taking forever.”

“You in a hurry or something?” She suddenly hears.

The swan narrows its eyes at the horizon. “Ugh, yeah I’m waiting for nightfall so I can change ba—” Her eyes widen as she cuts herself off, turning her head toward the voice. The seal was no longer there and in its place was a half-naked man staring curiously at her. She screams, or rather squawks.

“Whoa! Hey, hey! Relax, I just wanted to talk!” The strange man says.

“You..you…can understand me?” The swan says. “Who..what are you?”

The man puts his hands up in defense. “Easy now, I’m just a selkie, and yes I can understand you. My name’s Odhran.”

The swan still a bit uneasy, eyes him. “A…selkie? Like the ones from those old stories?”

Odhran nods. “Mhm. The very ones. This is my first time talking to a swan though, are you all this jumpy?”

The swan seems to take offence to that. “I’m not a swan! I mean…I am right now but, I’m waiting for the sun to set so I can change back!”

Odhran raises an eyebrow. “Oh? So, you’re a shifter then like me?”

She looks away. “No…I’m human…just…” Right as she says that the sun finally sets, the night sky covering the two of them. Her feathered body begins to glow and change shape, lengthening and elongating into that of a human woman with black hair, cloaked in a simple white dress. “…. cursed.” She falls to her knees, clearly not in the best of moods.

“Oh…I see. I’m sorry.” He says.

The woman looked down. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault I’m like this.” She sighs, looking back up. “You didn’t fully answer my question though, how could you understand me like that?”

Odhran scratched the back of his head. “Oh well. I turn into a seal all the time so I’m used to talking to other animals. I just thought it was odd you were so articulate at first.”

She raises an eyebrow at his casualness. “Doesn’t it freak you out what I am though? I’m cursed to live like this!”

Odhran gave a simple shrug. “Honestly not really. I don’t see how your any different compared to myself, aside from the fact you change unwillingly.”

The woman sulked. “I could say I’m almost envious of you, but I’d rather just be a normal human again.”

Odhran smiles. “Meh, being normal is overrated.”

“Says the man who can turn into a seal.” She retorts.   

He shrugs his shoulders. “So, how’d you end up this way anyway? “

She looks down a bit sullen. “If you must know…. I was cursed by the barren of my village. He’s a horrible man who takes what he wants and believes the world belongs to him. I was arranged to marry him, but I couldn’t stand the thought of going through with such a thing, so I tried to escape…but I got caught…and now I am what I am now. “

“That’s horrible” He says.

The woman looks up. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to find a way to break myself free from it for a while now, but so far, no luck.”

“Exactly, how long is a while?” Asks Odhran.

She thinks for a moment. “…. weeks…maybe months…I’ve stopped counting”

“You’ve been on your own for that long?” He asks.

She nods.

Odhran thinks something over for a moment. “Tell you what, why don’t I keep you company for tonight? I’d hate for you to have another night alone.”

The woman raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that? You just met me. I don’t want to be a bother to you.”

Odhran shakes his head. “You wouldn’t be a bother. I don’t get much company myself and besides, I kind of like talking to you.”

The woman seemed taken aback by his words, and was quiet for a moment. “…Lorelei.”

“Huh?” He asks.

“My name’s Lorelei.” She says.

“Lorelei...” He tests out the name on his tongue. “I like it, it’s pretty.”

Lorelei smiles at that, moving some hair behind her ear.  “So, since we’ve have the rest of the night, can I ask you something?”

Odhran smiles. “Ask away.”

“You’re a selkie right? What’s it like, living in the ocean?”

Odhran smiles at the question. “It’s vast, and open. With so many things to explore. There’s no wind and yet everything breaths and flows together. It’s like a giant organism.”

Lorelei listens intently, fascinated by his answer. “Wow, I never thought of it that way. It always seemed so intimidating to me.”

“It can be if you’re not careful. But most of the beauty is under the surface.” He says.

She smiles and then chuckles a bit to herself.

Odhran tilts his head. “What’s so funny?”

She smiles. “Heh, nothing. I just never imagined I’d be talking so casually with someone so, well, mystical? Though I guess shouldn’t be surprised given my current situation.

Odran smirks. “Mystical huh? Heh, I suppose you’re right. But once you look past the fins, the gills, the charming good looks.” He dramatically poses for a second. “I’m really just a normal guy.”

She smiles.

Odhran leans against a rock getting comfortable in the sand. “So, my turn then. What’s it like flying? I’ve always wanted to know what’s that like.”

Lorelei tilts her head for a moment. “Flying? Hmm, honestly…it’s pretty amazing. I can see everything when I’m up in the sky. The view stretches for miles!”

Odhran’s eyes kind of glimmer in amazement. “Wow, truly?”

Lorelei nods. “Yeah. Don’t get me wrong being a bird sucks, but I’m gonna miss that weightless feeling when I change back.”

Odhran seems to nod in agreement with that, though he suddenly gets curious. “Um, not to pry but what exactly is your plan to change back?”

Lorelei seems slightly taken aback by the question, and looks back to him. “Honestly, I’ve been making it up as I go, but…. I’ve been hearing rumors lately of a mage roaming the countryside. I was hoping maybe he could help me.”

Odhran holds his chin in thought. “I see. Let me guess the trouble is pin pointing where he’ll be, right?

Lorelei snaps her fingers. “Bingo.” She lets out a sigh, before laying back to look at the night sky. “Most things I do hear about him are just snippets since I can’t really talk to people during the day. Well…aside from you of course.” 

“Hey, no one said being cursed was easy. I do wish you luck in your search though.” Says Orhran.

Lorelei puts on a half-smile. “Thanks…”

Her eyes softly close soon succumbing to sleep.


End file.
